New Delhi: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘dimagi Naxals’ comment in his Independence Day speech created a political stir, with the Opposition terming it as an assault on them, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tried to clarify the PM’s feedback, and supply a definition of the time period.
Rijiju took to X to level out that the comment was not aimed on the opposition get together leaders, including that the time period ‘dimagi naxals’ refers to people who help Maoism, reject the Structure, again separatism, or try to isolate Northeast India.
“PM @narendramodi ji didn’t say opposition leaders as Dimagi Naxals. Solely following are Dimagi Naxals: 1. Who help Maoists and reject Indian Structure. 2. Who stand with separatists & help Article 370. 4. Who need to reduce rooster neck to separate North-East from India,” he wrote.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister additionally shared a video clip of an previous speech by former JNU scholar and activist Sharjeel Imam, who was actively protesting towards the Citizenship Modification Act (CAA).
Within the clip, Imam will be heard purportedly saying: “If we’ve 5 lakh organised folks, we will completely reduce off India and the North-East… if not completely, then not less than for a month or two.”
“Solely those that help these sort of individuals are known as ‘Dimagi Naxals’,” Rijiju wrote.
Solely those that help these sort of individuals are known as “Dimagi Naxals”. pic.twitter.com/Gtcmj7rLfL
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 16, 2026
In his handle at Pink Fort Saturday, PM Modi warned of a “new enemy”, the “Dimagi naxal”.
He stated that whereas naxalism itself has been eradicated, there are “dimagi naxals” current in varied elements of the nation who should be “recognized and remoted”, in order that the youth of India will be introduced collectively to grasp the Vikshit Bharat ambition.
Senior Congress leaders, together with Jairam Ramesh, later hit out on the PM. “First He known as his opponents ‘city naxals’. Now He calls them ‘dimaagi naxals’. It’s a positive signal of His desperation. It’s a separate matter that He finally ends up doing no matter these so-called ‘city naxals’ or now ‘dimaagi naxals’ are demanding or advocating. It isn’t for nothing that the PM has a MA being the Grasp Abuser in Total Political Science that he’s,” he posted on X.
Congress chief P. Chidambaram additionally reacted on social media, saying he was “proud to be a dimagi Naxal”.
What Modi govt as soon as stated on use of ‘city naxals’
Even because the PM used the time period ‘dimagi naxal’ Saturday, the Modi authorities had responded, in 2020, to a query by then Rajya Sabha MP Okay.J. Alphons—asking who ‘City Naxalites’ had been and what authorized motion was being taken towards them—that the Ministry of Residence Affairs didn’t use the phrase.
Then MoS Residence Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy, had stated: “The phrase ‘City Naxalites’ just isn’t utilized by the Ministry of Residence Affairs, Authorities of India. Nonetheless, the Authorities of India’s Nationwide Coverage and Motion Plan addresses Left Wing Extremism in all its manifestations together with the city actions.”
Later, in February 2022, the federal government had knowledgeable the Higher Home once more that the federal government didn’t use the phrase “city naxals”, based on a report by The Hindu. Then MoS-Residence, Nityanand Rai, had advised Parliament that the time period just isn’t utilized by the federal government with regards to left-wing extremism (LWE), whether or not in city areas or some other place.
This was in response to a query by BJP MP Rakesh Sinha, who had stated, “Maoism thriving as a result of additional parliamentary forces and concrete naxals who’re sitting in universities and underneath the garb of journalism are breaking the nation”.
‘Branding younger educated folks as naxalis’
The Cockroach Janta Get together (CJP), which had spearheaded the Jantar Mantar protest over NEET paper leak and different examination irregularities, questioned the branding of educated younger folks as ‘Naxalis’ over merely questioning the federal government.
“‘Dimagi Naxal’ or no matter just isn’t going to work, Prime Minister. How might you loosely model educated younger folks “naxalis” and so forth? Simply because they query your authorities? Sheer vanity! Sheer incompetence at resolving their issues! Bells are ringing. The awakening is right here!” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das wrote on X.
“Dimagi Naxal” or no matter just isn’t going to work, Prime Minister. How might you loosely model educated younger folks “naxalis” and so forth? Simply because they query your authorities? Sheer vanity! Sheer incompetence at resolving their issues!
Bells are ringing. The awakening is… https://t.co/DHuGkhWrGN
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) August 15, 2026
In the meantime, on Sunday, BJP nationwide spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, whereas addressing a press convention, questioned the Opposition over the Vande Mataram controversy, utilizing the time period ‘dimagi naxal’.
BJP has alleged that Sonia Gandhi had tried to cease the singing of Vande Mataram halfway at Congress’s Independence Day programme at get together headquarters. Congress maintains that Sonia was asking for a chair for get together president Mallikarjun Kharge as he had been standing for some time.
“I need to ask a really basic query: Can any patriot, any Indian who believes within the Structure, respects the Indian Tricolour and freedom fighters, and believes in India’s sovereignty and integrity, ever be indignant or irritated by the chanting of ‘Vande Mataram’ on Independence Day? Would anybody oppose it? No patriot would. Solely folks with the mindset of the ‘Dimagi Naxal ecosystem’ can oppose Vande Mataram,” Bhandari stated.
“We noticed this mindset yesterday, when the nation was celebrating Independence Day, within the opposition by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on the Congress headquarters. The opposition by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to Vande Mataram on Independence Day factors in the direction of the mindset of a ‘Dimagi Naxal ecosystem’.”
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Additionally Learn: Left Wing Extremism crushed but PM Modi has a message for the country: Beware of ‘dimagi Naxals’
